Oleksandr Zheltyakov secured Ukraine a
first gold of Belgrade 2023 by claiming the 200m backstroke title, in a new
European Junior Championship record time, on the fourth day of finals in
Serbia.
The 17-year-old Ukrainian powered to
the wall first in a new landmark time of one minute 55.79 seconds, shaving 0.04
secs off the previous record which had stood since 2018.
“It’s very special for me and for
Ukraine, because it’s the first gold in this competition for Ukraine,”
Zheltyakov told LEN after setting a new Ukrainian record in the event.
“I’m so thankful for our soldiers and
my family and coach who give me this chance to swim here.”
He was joined on the LEN European
Junior Swimming Championship podium by Merlin Ficher of France (1:57.15) and
Apostolos Siskos of Greece (1:58.37), who took the silver and bronze medals
respectively.
There was double delight for Denmark,
who claimed gold medals at either end of evening finals.Their first came in the
opening race – the men’s 100m butterfly – while their second came in the last –
the mixed 4x100m medley relay – event.
Casper Puggard starred in both,
securing a strong 100m fly win in 52.57.
He was joined on the podium by
Austrian Lukas Edl (53.37) and Ethan Dumesnil of France (53.68).
He then returned with team-mates
Kristine Nilsson Norby, Jonas Gaur and Matyine Damborg to claimed the mixed
4x100m medley relay title in 3:50.04, ahead of Great Britain (3:53.74) and
Italy (3:53.81).
There were also two reasons for the
strong contingent of Dutch fans to celebrate in the men’s 200m breaststroke
final with Steijn Louter powering to a clear gold in 2:14.11.
He was then joined by team-mate
Collin Van Der Hoff (2:15.39) who took second, with German swimmer Emilian
Hollank (2:15.98) placing third.
The race to discover the fastest
junior on the continent – the men’s 50m freestyle – was won by Italian Lorenzo
Ballarati in 22.56 seconds, ahead of Poland’s Szymon Misiak (22.75) and fellow
Italian Davide Passafaro (22.81).
Estonian breaststroke queen Eneli
Jefimova won the triple crowd at the 2022 European Junior Championships in
Romania but despite winning the 50m event earlier in the week she was forced to
settle for a joined silver in the 200m discipline.
She and Swedish rival Olivia Klint
Ipsa finished in 2:26.20, trailing Justine Delmas of France who touched for gold
in 2:25.62.
Another defending champion – Dora
Molnar of Hungary would manage to retain her crown.
2:11.06 was enough for victory in the
200m backstroke final, ahead of Great Britain’s Holly McGill (2:12.52) and
Spaniard Estella Tonrath Nollgen (2:12.65).
Emanuele Potenza of Italy claimed
gold in one of the most gruelling events in the swimming programme – the 400m
individual medley.
After an intense match-up against
Oleksii Hrabarov it was the Italian who prevailed in 4:21.90, ahead of his
Ukrainian rival (4:22.94) with Domenico De Gregorio of Italy (4:23.67)
completing the podium.
With two days of racing in the
Serbian capital Belgrade remaining Italy leads the medal standings with 13
honours, six of which are gold.
For full and detailed results head to
the dedicated Belgrade 2023 section of the LEN website.
FULL RESULTS AND REACTION TO EJSC
2023 – DAY 4:
Men’s Junior 100m butterfly:
GOLD: Casper Puggaard – 52.57 –
Denmark
SILVER: Lukas Edl – 53.37 – Austria
BRONZE: Ethan Dumesnil – 53.68 –
France
“I’ve been waiting since the start of
the event and I’ve tried to go faster each time,” Casper Puggaard told LEN.
“It’s hard because of the heat. Even though it wasn’t a PB (personal best
today) it was so fantastic & it’s indescribable right now. I came in as
third or fourth last year & it was a different type of pressure as the
number one rank in the 100m & 50 fly, but I just had to do what I could
like last year and I couldn’t be more happy.”
Men’s Junior 50m freestyle:
GOLD: Lorenzo Ballarati – 22.56 –
Italy
SILVER: Szymon Misiak – 22.75 –
Poland
BRONZE: Davide Passafaro – 22.81 –
Italy
“I feel very good, very happy and
satisfied with the race,” Lorenzo Ballarati told LEN. "It’s a PB (personal
best). The spectators were very good and now I am the fastest man in European
in junior category so I’m (almost) too happy!"
Women’s Junior 200m breaststroke:
GOLD: Justine Delmas – 2:25.62 –
France
SILVER: Eneli Jefimova – 2:26.20 –
Estonia
SILVER: Olivia Klint Ipsa – 2:26.20 –
Sweden
It was very hard, the end was very
difficult so it’s a pretty good race,” Justine Delmas told LEN. “The crowd made
me feel stronger & the public helped me to swim fast. I’m very proud of me
because last year I finished second so now I’m the winner which makes me very
happy.”
Men’s Junior 200m breaststroke:
GOLD: Steijn Louter – 2:14.11 – the
Netherlands
SILVER: Collin Van Der Hoff – 2:15.39
– the Netherlands
BRONZE: Emilian Hollank – 2:15.98 –
Germany
“I am very happy I didn’t expect it
and I’m most happy that we both have a medal that’s just insane,” Steijn Louter
told LEN. “The crowd is great & makes you swim much harder.”
Men’s Junior 200m backstroke:
GOLD: Oleksandr Zheltyakov – 1:55.79
(EJSR) – Ukraine
SILVER - Merlin Ficher – 1:57.15 –
France
BRONZE: Apostolos Siskos – 1:58.37 –
Greece
“I am so tired and I am so confused
because this win is very important to me, it’s my first gold in the last two
years and I’m so happy,” Oleksandr Zheltyakov told LEN. “I have so much pain in
all my body, hands legs, but it’s good pain. It’s very special for me and for
Ukraine, because it’s the first gold in this competition for Ukraine and I’m so
thankful for our soldiers and my family and coach who give me this chance to
swim here.”
Women’s Junior 200m backstroke:
GOLD: Dora Molnar – 2:11.06 – Hungary
SILVER: Holly McGill – 2:12.52 –
Great Britain
BRONZE: Estella Tonrath Nollgen –
2:12.65 – Spain
“I’m so happy about that I could
defend my title on 200m back,” Dora Molnar told LEN. “I am very tired, but I
focused on my goal - to win the gold and it worked. I’m happy with my time,
this is my 3rd best time in this year.”
Men’s Junior 400m individual medley:
GOLD: Emanuele Potenza – 4:21.90 –
Italy
SILVER: Oleksii Hrabarov – 4:22.94 –
Ukraine
BRONZE: Domenico De Gregorio –
4:23.67 – Italy
“I was training for this result so
hard,” Emanuele Potenza told LEN. “This is my first gold medal at the Junior
European Championships, so I’m extremely happy. It was a hard race, it was
painful, but it’s a gold, so worth it!”
Mixed 4x100m medley relay:
GOLD: Denmark – 3:50.04
SILVER: Great Britain – 3:53.74
BRONZE: Italy – 3:53.81
“I can’t describe how amazing that we
won the gold medal,” Casper Puggaard told LEN. “I swam a 100m butterfly today,
it was close to my PB (personal best) and after that swim this result is amazing!
This gold mean a lot to me, I enjoyed every second of this relay!”
PHOTO credit: István Derencsény/LEN
No comments:
Post a Comment